With the racing season in nearly full hibernation, I’ve decided to put the blog on hiatus for the winter. That shouldn’t come as a great shock, since traffic both ways has been light to non-existent for weeks now. That there isn’t a lot to talk about right now isn’t all bad news. Seems like the past few years have been filled with more than the usual tumult.

Don’t forget the Rockstar Indoor Motocross Series at the James Kjerstad Events Center. The next one is Dec. 10. See www.mx4fun.com for more details. See you in the Spring–Jim H.

There’s probably quite a few in the racing community who didn’t know Dave Broz. That’s a shame. He was one of the nicest people you never met.

Dave died of a heart attack on Friday, Oct. 28 at the age of 51. He was a bundle-hauler for the Journal’s circulation department, and a longtime participant in motorsports, including several years at a pitman at Black Hills Speedway.

I’ve known Dave since he started showing up at Black Hills Sports Car Club autocrosses driving a Ford Maverick.  As with a lot of newcomers to autocross, he was a little wild at first, but quickly learned his way and was turning increasingly respectable times before very long at all.

And he sure wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. The joke was that Dave could rebuild just about any major component of his car in the 30-45 minutes between timed runs in  his class, and have everything buttoned up and ready to go with minutes to spare.

I recall Dave working for a national pizza chain as a delivery driver years ago.  One day that familiar blue Maverick with the temporary pizza chain sign on top came flying by with Dave really putting the spurs to it.  I seriously doubt there were any late pizzas with Dave on the job.

Most of all I’ll just remember what a nice guy Dave was. He was a big guy with a quick smile and laugh, and I’ll miss seeing him at the races. – Jim H.

It’s been a topic of conversation in the mainstream media as well as racing circles this week, in the wake of Dan Wheldon’s tragic death at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Should the Indycar series be racing at high-banked superspeedways?

There were concerns voiced by some drivers before Sunday’s fateful race about having the largest field of cars of the season, 34 cars, bunched up at average speeds of more than 225 mph. Those factors, as well as the relative inexperience of some of the drivers likely all contributed to the lap 11 crash that took the life of Wheldon, a two-time and defending Indy 500 champion who leaves a wife and two young sons.

This from Shane Liebig, the banquet is Nov 5. Info can be had at www.blackhillsspeedway.net.  

As for next year, BHS will be running a similar schedule to last year. The Nationals is no more. Point championship night will be the final night of the season. Liebig plans big races in July, including the Torres Memorial and Travis McDonnell Memorial and the big Fourth of July holiday show.

“We are going to call it the Month of Money, as all three nights will have big purses,” Liebig said.

He said the Nationals were discontinued because of competition from several other big shows that weekend. — Jim H.

.

Great story in the Sioux Falls Argus Leader on Sunday by Rob Ristesund on the ‘Cheaters Day’ race staged for many years at the W.H. Lyons Fairgrounds in Sioux Falls and at Huset’s Speedway near Brandon.

HERE is a link to the story, available for the next few days. Also part of the package  is  a video retrospective on the races, including a spectacular exit by our own Bill Keester during the 1981 event.–Jim H.

I’m hearing that newly-crowned Black Hills Mini Sprint Tour points champion Anthony “Homeskillet” Farnsworth of Newcastle has purchased a sprint car from Matt Heinzerling.

Farnsworth claimed his third BHMST point championship in dramatic fashion last week at Newcastle Raceway. Read all about it here.  — Jim H.

A surprisingly event-filled slate considering it’s the first official weekend of fall.

One of the better season-ending Wissota specials is Friday and Saturday at Jamestown Speedway in North Dakota, That’s the 40th Annual Jamestown Stampede. I’ve been to this one a couple of times and always saw a ton of cars and some great racing.

The Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club is hosting a Hare Scramble (kinda like an enduro) at the Gypsies’ club grounds this Sunday, Sept. 25.  See www.jackpinegypsies.com for more info. 

The Black Hills Mini Sprint tour wraps up the 2011 season Saturday night at Newcastle Raceway.  I’ve seen nothing on how the Sept. 17 BHMST race at Sturgis came out.

Sturgis Dragway and Oahe Speedway are going to be conflicting this weekend. Sturgis needs to get in a couple of make-up events to help with its lease. and Oahe is hosting its Div. 5 NHRA National Open this weekend, meaning drivers chasing points at both track have a decision to make. — Jim H.

A lower than expected car count made the Budweiser Nationals an intimate gathering of mostly locals on a cool weekend hinting of the Fall to come.

I can remember when the BHS Nationals drew hundreds of drivers from across the region, including the best from Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado North Dalota, Wyoming, Montana and eastern South Dakota. Now as a Wissota track, there’s just too much competition from other tracks have their own season-enders. Aberdeen, Watertown and Huron are finishing up this weekend. Gillette and Belgrade run next weekend and the Wissota 100 in Huron is in two weeks.

The races here are going up against the start of the high school football season including the Rushmore Bowl last night. I know football is big. I like it too, but starting the high school and college seasons before Labor Day just makes no sense. I sweated through covering a Black Hills State FB game last weekend and a St. Thomas More volleyball triangular last week in a sweltering gym. No fun. But I digress.

Shane Liebig said last night he is considering making what was a two-night show into a one night season championships and trying for more midseason specials. The Torres Memorial for Midwest Mods is a growing event and if the track can land the World of Outlaws Sprints and/or Late Models on a regular basis, that would be good too.

I understand there is a movement afoot by many of the tracks (Huset’s, I-90, Eagle, etc.) now running 360 and 410 sprints to come up with a new more economical rules package. Some of you may know about an project started by Danny Schotz (Donny’s dad) and Ron Shaver to run factory Corvette engines as a less expensive alternative to both 410’s and 360’s.

Still a good year here. The facility here is as good as it has been in years, if ever. and the track itself was fantastic after a rough start. Once it was ironed out, the racing was fantastic. On the minus side, too many cars torn up and drivers sitting on the sideline at the end of the year. More than just the normal attrition.

Here’s hoping for a regular off-season without the turmoil of recent years. And there’s still plenty of stuff going on to give you your motorsports fix. East-West Clash in Gillette. Wissota 100 in Huron. Black Hills Mini-Sprinters will be in action in Gillette, Sturgis and Newcastle. Drag racing in Sturgis and Pierre. South Dakota Motocross Association in Sturgis next Sunday and on the 18th (if needed).

See you at the races.–Jim H.

It’ll be interesting to see who shows up for the first of two night’s of the Budweiser Nationals at BHS. This is one of the first post-season special events for drivers chasing Wissota national points, so you never know who might venture out here.

I asked Shane who he thought might be coming and he admitted getting quite a few phone calls indicating interest in the event, but nothing definite.

You’ll recall having the reigning Street Stock National champ and a couple other cars show up a couple weeks ago was a surprise, so this weekend could be more of that.

Even better, It sounds like decent weather to end the season this weekend.

Another tough year at the central South Dakota track with a lot of weather-related cancellations. Six of the 13 scheduled race nights, including five of the first six races, were lost to weather or wet track conditions.

Here’s Butch Knouse’s report on last Friday’s finale at Miller Speedway:

Thanks again, Butch for sharing the coverage and for all you do in keeping track of racing statewide. You provide an invaluable resource. — Jim H.

By Butch Knouse
 
It was a beautiful night for the Season Championships. Thirty-five cars and nine Quads were on hand for the biggest crowd of the season. Hammill Racing sponsored a double candy scramble.
 
In the Clark Pump N Pak UCARs, Gary Peterman held a 1 point lead over Curt Manning. The race started off with hometown rookie Tre Blasdell taking the lead early. Soon, Zack Pollock came up to challenge him, but Blasdell hung on and led all the way for his first feature win, followed by Pollock, Manning, Eric Crabb and Peterman. Manning finished ahead of Peterman in both the heat and the feature and edged him out by 3 points for the Championship. Several members of the Manning family have competed at Miller Speedway since the beginning, but this is the first point title for anyone in the Manning clan.
 
In the WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds, Lorin Johnson held a healthy point lead and, barring disaster, would be champion Mid Mod champion for the fourth time. The feature started off with grizzled veteran Britt Williams leading the first seven laps before Johnson took the lead and won his 31st feature in the class. Williams was second, followed by Tony Croninger, Tony Konold and Adam Brotherton.
 
The WISSOTA Street Stocks put on the race of the night, with Dave Brooker taking the lead early, but the the 1 & 2 points men Blayne Baloun and Jeff Rawstern moved in on Brooker. With 2 laps to go they hit the finish line three abreast and banged wheels, but they all kept it under control and kept racing. Rawstern took the lead in turn 1 and fought off Baloun the rest of the way, as Brooker had to pull off with a flat tire on the last lap. The top five was Rawstern, Baloun, Tyler Lamb, Michael Hammill and Kevin Meyer, but Meyer was disqualified for not going to the scale. It was Rawstern’s third feature win. Baloun clinched his second straight point title, but while he was on the front straightaway to receive the customary second place watermelon, his left rear tire went flat.
 
The WISSOTA Super Stocks finished off the season with a bang. Brad Kopecky spun in turn 4 on the first lap, with at least half the field involved in the wreck. Kopecky and Josh Sterrett were knocked out of the race, and Dustin Arthur had to pit for repairs. Lorin Johnson took the lead on the restart, and led all the way over David Carlson, Arthur and Dale Tomes. It was Johnson’s 24th Super Stock feature win at Miller Speedway, and he claimed his third Super Stock championship and his 8th championship overall at his hometown track.
 
For the third race in a row, Jesse Habeck beat his brother Matt in the Quad feature.
 
It was another rain and flood shortened season, but we’re all looking forward to 2012. Check www.millerspeedway.com and Miller Speedway on Facebook over the winter for news.
 
WISSOTA Super Stock main: 1. Lorin Johnson, Miller 2. David Carlson, Huron 3. Dustin Arthur, St. Lawrence 4. Dale Tomes, Dell Rapids DNF: Michael Bogh, Huron; Clifford Houser, Kimball; Josh Sterrett, Huron; Brad Kopecky, Miller
 
Heat: Carlson, Johnson, Kopecky, Bogh, Houser
 
WISSOTA Midwest Modified main: 1. Lorin Johnson, Miller 2. Britt Williams, Fort Pierre 3. Tony Croninger, Watertown 4. Tony Konold, Watertown 5. Adam Brotherton, Huron 6. Jim Danburg, Miller 7. Raymond Reding, Harrold DNF: Spence Pollock, Miller; Chad Koth, Miller DNS: James Norden, Platte; Nathan Mack, Watertown
 
Heat 1: Konold, Williams, Johnson, Danburg, Brotherton
Heat 2: Croninger, Koth, Pollock, Reding
 
WISSOTA Street Stock main: 1. Jeff Rawstern, Blunt 2. Blayne Baloun, Highmore 3. Tyler Lamb, Clark 4. Michael Hammill, Miller DNF: Dave Brooker, Tulare; Casey Carstens, Mitchell DQ: Kevin Meyer, Redfield, did not scale.
 
Heat: Brooker, Rawstern, Baloun, Lamb, Carstens
 
Clark Pump N Pak UCAR main: 1. Tre Blasdell, Miller 2. Zach Pollock, Miller 3. Curt Manning, Miller 4. Eric Crabb, Mansfield 5. Gary Peterman, Miller 6. Mike Hammill, Miller 7. Bill Leimbach SR, Sioux Falls DNF: Jackie Hoftiezer, Pierre; Mike Wurts, Highmore
 
Heat: Manning, Pollock, Peterman, Hammill, Blasdell
 
Final Points Top Five Only.
 
Super Stock: 1. Johnson 341 2. Arthur 319 3. Houser 246 4. Sterrett 205 5. Carlson 198.
 
Midwest Modified: 1. Johnson 341 2. Croninger 314 3. Danburg 282 4. Brotherton 278 5. Koth 271.
 
Street Stock: 1. Baloun 336 2. Rawstern 313 3. Lamb 307 4. Michael Hammill 291 5. Carstens 275
 
UCAR: 1. Manning 323 2. Peterman 320 3. Blasdell 309 4. Pollock 276 5. Wurts 228.
 
Quad: 1. Ken Bailly, Mina 212 2. Lance Habeck, Aberdeen 171 3. Gary McCarthy, Platte 157 4. James Waldrop, Miller 152 5. Jesse Habeck, Sioux Falls 126.